S. Korea’s military creates drone combat unit

SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Army said Friday it has put a drone combat team in operation, a move to take advantage of the country's advanced ICT prowess.

The unit is part of a new "ground intelligence unit" established under the wing of the Third ROK Army (TROKA), headquartered in Yongin, just south of Seoul. ROK is the acronym for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

Army officials hope that the country's first drone battalion will help sharply enhance combat capabilities as a potential game changer in future warfare.

"In the midst of rapidly changing strategic circumstances, the role and mission of ground forces, which prop up the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula, are more important than ever," Gen. Kim Yong-woo, the Army chief of staff, said in a congratulatory message.

The Army will develop the drone battalion and its supporting units as the world's top-notch force, based on fourth industrial revolution technology, to actively counter any type of existing and future threats, he added.

The unit is equipped with various swarms of drones, including reconnaissance, weaponized, electronic warfare and multi-role ones.

Col. Kim Young-kyun, the inaugural commander of the unit, described the "dronebot" unit as the very future of the Army, using a combination of the words "drone" and "robot."

He said he will do his best to play a key role in the Army's drive to foster cutting-edge combat platforms.